Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Emirates is considering swapping its order for 50 Airbus A350-900s to A350-1000s as Airbus works on finalising design of the stretched variant.In November 2007, the carrier ordered 70 A350 XWBs, initially specifying 50 of the baseline -900s and 20 -1000s. But Emirates president Tim Clark says over the last three years the carrier's network has matured to the point where it "can no longer tolerate anything under 300" seats.Emirates is slated to take 290-seat A350-900s from April 2015. The A350-1000s would be a better fit, but the longer wait must also be considered."It [the -900] is now appearing too small," says Clark. "So we may slip the order to the -1000, but the -1000 hasn't been frozen yet. We haven't decided quite yet which one we'll take. We're actually playing around with how this order fits."

The A350-900 is scheduled to enter service in 2013, while Airbus has provided a 2015 entry into service date for -1000 stretch. Clark says the only option if Emirates wants to take A350s in 2015 is to stick with the -900.Delivery dates for the A350-1000 are not likely to be firmed up until the design is frozen, which could take time as airlines continue to press Airbus for changes. Clark says with the current design the -1000 will not have a range or payload comparable to the Boeing 777-300ER."Airbus compares the -1000 to the 777-300ER. I've told them in no uncertain terms it does not. I see it as a 320-, 330-seater which will be very economical on missions up to 10 or 12 hours," he says. "The notion that it would fly from Singapore to European gateways in the winter months with 100 knots on the nose is a bit of an ask. We've suggested they need to come to grips with that, which means they need to increase the takeoff weight and they need to increase propulsion."The aircraft is slated to be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines but Clark is "not sure they will do the job".If its -900s are delayed beyond 2015 or it elects to wait for the -1000, Emirates can avail of the "safety net" of 30 additional 777-300ERs ordered last year. The airline's original thinking was for the A350-900s to replace its 777-200s, A330-200s and A340-300s, but it has the flexibility to retain these aircraft for longer.In 2007 the airline ordered 70 A350 XWBs: 50 -900s and 20 -1000s

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

DUBAI, U.A.E., 9th February 2011: Emirates has been conferred the prestigious ‘Airline of the Year’ award for 2011 by the leading industry title Air Transport World, in recognition of the Dubai-based carrier’s “strong commitment to safety and operational excellence, trendsetting customer service and superb financial performance”.Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline, received the award at a gala dinner in Washington D.C. on 8th February 2011. “The last few years have been among the most demanding in our industry’s history but despite the challenges, we have kept our focus on delivering the very highest standards of product, passenger comfort and operational efficiency,” said Tim Clark. “This recognition is testament to our commitment to innovation and service excellence as we continue to grow our global network and offer customers more opportunities to discover the world from Dubai.”

“Customers have a choice to fly Emirates, given that more than 125 airlines serve Dubai. The route network appeals to travellers not only in the UAE, but to those in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America who value the efficiency and connectivity of the Dubai hub,” said Perry Flint, Editorial Director for ATW. “A cornerstone of EK's (Emirates’) success has been a relentless drive for cabin innovation not just in premium class but in economy,” added Flint. “The decision to award Emirates ‘Airline of the Year’ is in recognition for its strong commitment to safety and operational excellence, its trendsetting customer service and its superb financial performance including a 22-year consecutive annual profit streak.”Since launching services in 1985, Emirates has grown into one of the largest and most dynamic airlines in the world, transforming Dubai into a world-class hub for global air travel. The airline is a leader in developing flexible air routings that save fuel and reduce CO2 emissions. These advances, combined with a host of other achievements have resulted in more than 400 international awards recognising the airline in almost every category.Some of the Emirates’ pioneering innovations include becoming the first airline to introduce individual seat back videos and to enable passengers to make authorised onboard mobile phone calls. Emirates' flagship A380s are the only commercial aircraft to feature onboard Shower Spas for First Class passengers.The airline has experienced rapid and consistent growth, above 20 per cent a year on average. Financially self-sustained and unprotected, Emirates carried 27.5 million passengers in the 2009-10 financial year – almost 4.7 million more than the previous 12 months.Emirates currently flies to 110 cities in 66 countries across Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, Africa, the Indian subcontinent and Asia-Pacific. So far this year, the airline has launched a new route to Basra, Iraq on 2nd February and will start new services to Geneva on 1st June and Copenhagen on 1st August.

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